Updated: October 23, 2019
CPA Exam Structure
The four parts of the examination are:
• Auditing & Attestation
• Financial Accounting & Reporting
(business enterprises, not-for-profit organizations, and governmental entities)
• Regulation (professional responsibilities, business law, and taxation)
• Business Environment & Concepts
Each of the four parts of the examination is graded on a scale of 0 to 99.
The minimum passing score is 75.
QUESTION FORMAT
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT is 4 Hours (62 questions, 4 task-based simulations and 3 written communications tasks)
AUDITING is 4 Hours (72 questions and 8 task-based simulations)
REGULATION is 4 Hours (76 questions and 8 task-based simulations)
FAR is 4 Hours (66 questions and eight task-based simulations)
The CPA exam is a closed book, secured examination. Candidates are required to sign a statement that they will not disclose the contents of the examination.
What topics are tested in each section of the examination? Here is a summary of the content specifications as of July 1, 2019:
AUDITING: 4 Hours (72 questions and eight task-based simulations)
| Content area allocation | Weight |
| I. Ethics, Professional Responsibilities and General Principles | 15–25% |
| II. Assessing Risk and Developing a Planned Response | 20–30% |
| III. Performing Further Procedures and Obtaining Evidence | 30–40% |
| IV. Forming Conclusions and Reporting | 15–25% |
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING AND REPORTING (FAR) : 4 Hours (66 questions and eight task-based simulations)
| I. Conceptual Framework, Standard-Setting and Financial Reporting | 25–35% |
| II. Select Financial Statement Accounts | 30–40% |
| III. Select Transactions | 20–30% |
| IV. State and Local Governments | 5–15% |
REGULATION (REG)
4 Hours (76 questions and eight task-based simulations)
| Content area allocation | Weight |
| I. Ethics, Professional Responsibilities and Federal Tax Procedures | 10–20% |
| II. Business Law | 10–20% |
| III. Federal Taxation of Property Transactions | 12–22% |
| IV. Federal Taxation of Individuals | 15–25% |
| V. Federal Taxation of Entities | 28–38% |
BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT (BEC) : 4 Hours (62 questions, four task-based simulations and three written communications tasks)
| I. Corporate Governance | 17–27% |
| II. Economic Concepts and Analysis | 17–27% |
| III. Financial Management | 11-21% |
| IV. Information Technology | 15-25% |
| V. Operations Management | 15-25% |